MetroDrone: Groundbreaking New Addition to Ear Training and Instrumental Practice

MetroDrone is a core addition to Ear Training and Instrumental Practice now available with an acoustic bass or tuba sound!

MetroDrone is our best selling product of all time!!

We are super-excited about this new invention which Bruce Arnold calls the "MetroDrone. It will greatly enhance both your practice time, and the rate at which your playing and musicianship improves.

Bruce Arnold states that the MetroDrone is a CORE practice tool!

MetroDrone should be a new addition to the CORE products you use to reach your full potential as a musician...

Two versions of the MetroDrone

Difference between Acoustic Bass and Tuba MetroDrone

Acoustic Bass MetroDrone Sound is much longer in duration than the Tuba MetroDrone making it easier to hear the key center. 10 to 60bpm MP3 files

Tuba MetroDrone Sound is much shorter in duration than the Acoustic Bass MetroDrone making it much harder to hear the key center and therefore is recommended for the advanced ear training student. Also has slower MP3 files 8 to 60bpm MP3 files

MetroDrone lets you:

Practice singing exercises in time and speed them up, to master real-time ear-training recognition and execution.

Practice ear training even when you are practicing scales or any other technique on your instrument.

Develop lightning speed by using the included "long line rhythm" concept (considered a “holy grail” by many guitarists). Video and PDF included.

MetroDrone works any place you use a metronome and with many ear training exercises

MetroDrone will work with any Muse-Eek book you own -or one from any other company. But to most effectively use this new tool – it would be best for Mr. Arnold to understand how you currently practice your instrument, and ear training.

Unsure if MetroDrone is right for you?

Unsure how to use it or if it's right for you? – Use the contact email at bottom of the page and Mr. Arnold will personally review your current practice schedule – and advise you on possible improvements, and how to integrate MetroDrone into your practice time for maximum results.

Keep on track, Keep in contact!

As always it is what you are practicing and how you are practicing that is crucial to your progress. Please keep in touch with Mr. Arnold every few months so that you don't practice the wrong thing or the right thing in the wrong way. Bruce may also may be able to make recommendations on how you should change some aspect of your study so that you improve even faster.

Check in and get on track

So right now, it's time to check in and get your practice regimen ship-shape. Even if you been sluffing off – you can still write to Bruce and we'll see how to get you back in the saddle and improving your musical ability.

Ideas for using MetroDrone

Bruce Arnold says that hearing chord progressions is a topic that comes up frequently with students of ear training. You will probably have to gain some basic skills with identifying pitches within a key center before you can tackle how you hear chord progressions but there are some things you can do with the MetroDrone MP3s to start preparing now for this exciting aspect of ear training.

Think the same way you hear

The overall thing to realize is always THINK THE SAME WAY YOU HEAR. What do I mean by this? I mean that you can listen to a chord progression in a song, and if you sing or play the melody, you will probably HEAR some or all of it in the key of the song. But when you play or sing over a chord progression, it is easy to start thinking about all the different scales you could play, and lose sight of the key center.

So that is why it is important to think the same way that you hear. This will make your playing much more musical and you will truly express the music you hear inside yourself. The main purpose of the MetroDrone is to get you always thinking the same way you are hearing. If you practice a C scale with a C MetroDrone going on in the background you are thinking about a C scale and you are hearing it in relationship to the key of C. This gets progressively more important as you work with more and more complicated material.

Now let's turn our attention to how THINKING THE SAME WAY YOU HEAR applies to a chord progression. If we have a chord progression you will either hear the whole progression in one key or parts of the progression in one key. This will depend on how quickly the chords are moving one to another and the tempo of the tune. Usually the longer you stay on a chord the better chance you will have of hearing that chord in its own key center.

Specific Example

Everyone will vary on how they exactly hear the same progression, though in many cases it will be similar. Let's take a simple chord progression as an example: C Major to F7. Let's say there are two measures of C Major and one of F7. The tempo would be medium, around 100 BPM. When you play the F7, most likely you will not hear a new key center; you will hear F7 in relationship to the key of C. This will affect what scale you should use and how you will hear the notes of the of F7 chord.

READ THIS it's important!

Usually if you play an F7 chord you wouldn't think of it as an F Mixolydian scale BUT we are not hearing the F7 in the key of F; we are hearing it in the key of C so you would think of it as a C Dorian scale because you are in the key of C not in the key of F. Yes, a C Dorian scale and an F Mixoldyian scale are the same notes BUT if you are hearing in the key of C and the F7 chord is playing and you hear a melody in your head with scale degrees b3, 2, 1 then you would play Eb, D, C not Ab, G, F. What I've just stated is one of the most important lessons you will ever learn about hearing music and why my ear training method is crucial to developing compositional and improvisational skills.

Aural Comprehension is key to musical success

Now if you listen again to the notes of the F7 chord as you are hearing it in the key of C, you will not hear: F=1, A=3, C=5, Eb=b7 you will hear: F = 4, A = 6, C= 1, Eb = b3. As you can see, this is a pivotal step to understanding how your hear chord progressions and again why key center ear training is so important. Check out the book called Secondary Dominants Ear Training Studies that applies this same logic to all the Secondary Dominant chords. It's crucial that you learn this information NOW so you don't have to rewind and start hearing the correct way later on. It's important to realize how you are hearing chord progressions as opposed to how you are hearing the melodies in your head.

Practicing Scales with MetroDrone

Let's relate these ideas to practicing scales. Most professional musicians spend about 20 years practicing the scales. Practicing them in the right way is crucial so make sure you have either the Essential Scales book or the New York Guitar Method Volume One. Here is an unusual but highly productive way to use the MetroDrone when working with scales that relates to the discussion we just had about hearing chord progressions. The usual way musicians practice scales is to play them cycle 5 --so if you had a Major scale you would first play it in C then F, Bb, Eb, Ab etc... Instead of switching MetroDrone MP3s for each new key, just use a C MetroDrone and move through the modes of C Major all the while a C MetroDrone is sounding. This will get you processing scales all in one key which is the same thing that will happen when you are hearing a whole progression in one key as we previously discussed.

Applying MetroDrone to Modes

So you start with playing C Major (in all positions if you play a stringed instrument)

Then play a C Dorian Scale (which is actually a Bb Major Scale but you are hearing the notes in "C" so it's C Dorian.)

Then play C Phrygian (which is actually a Ab Major Scale but you are hearing the notes in "C" so it's C Phrygian.)

Then a C Lydian (which is actually a G Major Scale but you are hearing the notes in "C" so it's C Lydian.)

Then a C Mixoldian (which is actually a F Major Scale but you are hearing the notes in "C" so it's C Mixolydian.)

Then a C Aeolian (which is actually a Eb Major Scale but you are hearing the notes in "C" so it's C Aeolian.)

TThen a C Locrian (which is actually a Db Major Scale but you are hearing the notes in "C" so it's C Locrian.)

So you have played through all 7 modes of C Major!

Then I would take a break and later or the next day do the same process in the key of F with an F MetroDrone.

This way you will practice all the modes of major and start applying them the way you will hear them in many chord progressions.

(See Secondary Dominant book for more information on how how all this applies to the modes of Melodic Minor Ascending.)

MetroDrone and common chord progressions

Just so you can see some common chord progressions and how you might hear them in one key and the scales you would use, here are some examples:

C Major to F7 and hear that all in the key of C then you are moving between C Major Scale and a C Dorian Scale.

C Major to F-7 and hear that all in the key of C then you are moving between C Major Scale and a C Aeolian Scale.

C Major to Db Major and hear that all in the key of C then you are moving between C Major Scale and a C Phrygian Scale.

C Major to C-7b5 and hear that all in the key of C then you are moving between C Major Scale and a C Locrian Scale.

As you can see from this discussion how you hear greatly affects how you should think and play. This is why working with MetroDrone can lay the right foundation for your success with music.

Choose your version of the MetroDrone and get starting learning the correct way with MetroDrone TODAY!

It's really unbelievable the amount of uses you can find for these MetroDrone files. I'm now using them all day long for technical exercises and ear training, and I wonder how I ever got along without them before. Get this, it's important! B. Barnett

The change in my ear training skills and technical ability have gone through the roof in the few months I've been using MetroDrone. I use it for: Practicing scales. Long Line Rhythm is the secret tool, Practicing arpeggios. Now I hear them in the right key center, Sight Singing ear training exercises. Now I can slowly speed them up and still hear the key center. Jamming with key centers. I get better rhythmic ability and better ears at the same time. Do yourself a favor and get MetroDrone. If you're not sure how to use it contact Bruce he totally got MetroDrone incorporated into all the stuff I was practicing. This is making a real difference in my ear training and technical skills. T. Jennings

The long line rhythm idea presented in the video with these files is one of the most important things I've ever learned about music. I've spent years trying to figure out why I couldn't play fast. I've doubled my speed in less than a month. I actually noticed a difference in two days. Get MetroDrone it is unbelievably cool!! H. Andreyev

I'm a singer and I've been using the MetroDrone with the Fanatic's Guide book. This has really helped me to speed up the 3 and 4 note melodic examples in an organized way. Bruce said I should do this to get more of an instant response and to stop thinking so much and just react. I've also been using it with the music I sing with my church group. Most of it's in one key so I just sing through the melody over the drone. This helps me hear the song better and also helps me sing in time. R. Babbitt

I've been using muse-eek's ear training and rhythm books. MetroDrone lets me to use the rhythm books as an ear training exercise. I put on a MetroDrone file let's say in the key of C. I then read the rhythms on the piano playing a Db. This helps me concentrate just on the sound of the Db in the key of C. I do this for about 10 minutes and I can hear that flat 2 relationship for about an hour after I've stopped. This is really helping me to memorize these sounds. I recommend this if you are having troubles with the ear training course. S. Waterson

Get either the Acoustic Bass or Tuba MetroDrone today and transform your sense of key and time.

Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.

MetroDrone can be used as a practice tool for anything from Ear Training to various techniques you might be learning on your instrument. Therefore it will be useful for whatever you might be practicing.

Have a story or a review you want to submit. We would love to hear from you please send us an email.

30 Practice Tips: Video Course

30 Practice Tips videos give insight into how to get more from your practicing.

Includes.

Stuck in a rut with your practicing?

Can't figure out why you're not improving as quickly as you want?

Got limited time to practice and want to get the most out of what you have?

Then you need 30 Practice Tips: Video Course a guide to maximizing the time you spend practicing your instrument. Your practice time is not just a time to drill and exercise. It is a deeply introspective time as well, when you not only commune with your instrument and learn to play it, but find out about your own strengths and weaknesses --and even how you learn.

Get the experience of 45 years of playing and 30 years of teaching.

Bruce Arnold has culled from his 45 years as a guitarist and over thirty years of teaching to bring you these 30 tips, in friendly, conversational videos that cover not just the common problems you may encounter, but also ways to make your practice time the the most productive and satisfying part of your day.

Cover all the important aspects of playing.

These tips cover technique and physical development, how to organize your practicing on a micro and macro level, the best approach to master fast playing, rhythm problems, sight reading and even the psychological aspect of practicing and playing.

Below is sample clip

Short term and Long Term Memory

Good for beginners or advanced students.

Whether you are just starting out, or have been playing for years, if your practice time is not giving you the satisfaction and results you crave, then 30 Practice Tips: Video Course is a must own.

Videos cover all aspects of practicing

Videos include these subjects.

1. Start with a warm up

2. Analyzing progress

3. Take it slow and steady

4. A positive attitude = progress

5. Consistancy reaps the most rewards

6. Understanding your goals

7. Internalizing the music

8. Listen to the music you want to learn

9. Making practice perfect…for you

10. Motivation and reward

11. Muscle memory

12. Obsession

13. Pain is not gain

14. Putting theory in the mix

15. Realistic goals will make you happy

16. Short term and long term memory

17. Secret weapon, mental practice

18. Room for improvement

19. Sight reading

20. Using jam tracks

21. Talk to your teacher

22. Think before you practice

23. It's not just about you

24. Do you really know it?

25. Training your ear

26. Truth about technique

27. Work and fun in balance

28. Working on rhythm

29. Long line rhythm

30. More about the metronome

30 Practice Tips: Video Course course will get you out of your rut or help you break through common problems all musicians have when trying to reach their goals.

Additional Information:

Digital Edition 978-1-59489-671-2

All Video Course

71 Minutes

What people are saying:

All I can say is this was great.Bruce really just connected with me, you can tell he knows what he is talking about, and is very down to earth. Mostly, it really helped me with my whole attitude about practicing. R. Benet

I am a total freak for practice, but it was like Bruce sat me down and said slowdown and think. He made me see that I was just throwing myself into my practice without really thinking, and that if I really wanted to become a great guitarist, I had to change a lot of what I was doing. and that just wasn't WHAT I was practicing, but HOW I was practicing it. Some of it was just simple stuff, but until Bruce said it, I never got it. But once he said it, I thought "of course!" I'm still a freak for practice, but I'm making a lot more progress now, and I'm really happy about that. P. Krauss

Brillant book and series! Being someone who lives "in the sticks" and has no chance of studying with a teacher in the city these books are a godsend. Not meant for the slacker though, these books keep you working! T. Littlebury

This is a super-encouraging video that made me feel like I wasn't alone with all my frustrations. I love the guitar, but some days I just felt like I wasn't talented enough or smart enough to be a good musician. But I was amazed when Bruce started talking about so many of the things that I was feeling bad about, like being impatient with myself and how that can actually lead to not learning or setting unrealistic goals or just plain pacing myself. Bruce has a way of making you feel like you are okay, and you just need to take a few deep breaths and get sensible ;-) It was exactly what I needed.

F. Perez

There's some great advice in these videos, and they are very logically presented. I particularly benefited from his "mental practice" technique, and his insights into short term and long term memory. I feel a lot sharper because of them.H. Warschauer

Bruce should make more of these videos, because they are great, just like sitting in a room and having your teacher talk to you.This particular video was so helpful to me because there is so much that happens when I practice and sometimes you just need someone to sort out all the things you are encountering, and helping you to make sense of it and prioritize the right things. Bruce also seems like a nice guy, but no nonsense either. T. Amici

Status: In stock, Digital book is available for immediate access.

FREE SHIPPING WHEN ORDER TOTAL IS OVER 200.00 USD.

These videos cover all aspects of music therefore any of our publications would be a good match for this set of videos.

What should I work on after 30 Practice Tips: Video Course?

The application of the ideas presented in the 30 Practice Tips: Video Course will take a lifetime of work to apply. We do though recommend that you also work with the 25 Ear Training Tips Course for a full understanding of our Ear Training Method.

Have a story or a review you want to submit. We would love to hear from you please send us an email.

Guitar Clinic

Get the inside scoop on the techniques and ideas Mr. Arnold discusses in his clinics throughout the world

This book is a power house of ideas about how to practice, what to practice and the tools that will take you to the next level

Have you been asking yourself:

How can I better organize my practice sessions?

What are the important things to learn if I want to play like a professional guitarist?

What are the secrets that professional players use to gain such a high degree of skill?

How can I learn music theory on the guitar when it seems impossible?

How can I organize scales so they make sense on the guitar?

How can I play chromatic and jazzy melodic lines in my soloing?

How can I change chord progressions so they sound aren't so boring?

How can I get a modern sound into my playing?

What is a good way to play scales on the guitar?

How do contemporary musician organize their melodic and harmonic thinking to get such interesting sounds?

The secret techniques and exercises to take you to the next level.

Guitar Clinic provides you with techniques and exercises Mr. Arnold uses in the many clinics and workshops he has given over the years, and was written as a response to the many questions students have asked him. Essential information and instruction is given in clear, easy to understand language, addressing the needs of both beginning and advanced students.

Topics covered include:

Tricks on how to read music faster and more accurately.

"Beat Reading" The secret sight reading tool to take your ability to a professional level.

How to organize and study rhythm.

An in-depth Music Theory section covering scales and chords for beginners and intermediate students.

Scale fingerings for Major, Dorian, Major and Minor Pentatonic and Blues scales.

Hexatonic based structures to create contemporary sounding compositions and improvisations.

I know Mr. Arnold's books are considered cutting edge but which ones are right for me?

Much of the material in Guitar Clinic is culled from Bruce's educational series, over 100 books in all. The student wishing to expand on his or her studies will find suggestions within the text as to which of his books will best serve their specific needs.

A great introduction to Mr. Arnold's teaching methods

Guitar Clinic is a great introduction to Mr. Arnold's teaching methods.

You will find excerpts from the following books:

Rhythm Primer

Rhythms Volume One

Rhythms Volume Two

Rhythms Volume Three

Odd Meters

Music Theory Workbook for Guitar Volume One

Music Theory Workbook for Guitar Volume Two

Chord Workbook for Guitar Volume One

Chord Workbook for Guitar Volume Two

My Music

Get on board and energize your practice and playing sessions with a well organized system.

Guitar Clinic has more information than you will find in most books even though it's primariy excerpts from other Bruce Arnold books. This gives you a clue to the deep amount of information contained in all of his other books. Guitar Clinic really lays it out for you so that you have an overview of some of the major books Mr. Arnold has written for guitar.

Additional Information:

Digital Edition IBSN: 978-1-59489-713-9

Physical Edition IBSN: 978-1-890944-45-2

107 pages

What people are saying:

I've had my eye on Mr. Arnold's books for some time now. Guitar Clinic was a great way to see what he was all about. Such a great teacher and player. I found his ideas to be well organized and straight to the point with easy to understand language. I can see why he is in so much demand! B. Boylen

I'd highly recommend Guitar Clinic for any guitarist if you want to get the inside scoop on how Bruce organizes his practice sessions. I learned a ton of stuff from this book and went on to buy many of the books that are excerpted throughout, and all I can say is this guy has got the goods and he knows how to teach. And that's pretty freaking rare! T. Henry

I'm a beginning student and purchased this book to see what Mr. Arnold was all about. Although some of the material went WAY over my head the beginning information on playing rhythm, music theory, scales and chords was very helpful. I wish there would have been more information on his ear training but I found his blog on brucearnold.com to be very good for that stuff. R.Youngman

Get this book you won't be sorry. Full of practical info on playing the guitar. I emailed Bruce and he provided me with a plan for practicing all this stuff which was great. There was so much I just couldn't see how to organize it but Bruce showed my what I needed to concentrate on right now and how to do that in a one hour practice session. Thanks Bruce!! P. Peters.

New York Guitar Method Primer Ensemble Book Two

Two is better than one!

New York Guitar Method Primer Ensemble Book 2 is the companion book for the New York Guitar Method Primer Book 2. It gives you exercises to apply the information learned in the Primer Two Book.

Primer Ensemble Book Two will help you to:

Apply the scales you are learning by improvising with them over chord vamps.

Learn strumming patterns to gain better knowledge of accompaniment.

Learn chord progressions to help you memorize each new chord.

Memorize all the notes on the guitar by concentrating on one string at a time.

Develop you rhythm skills by playing simple etudes.

Develop your recognition of written rhythms and how they sound.

Learn to sight read on the guitar, using a graduated method.

If this is what you want for your playing, then New York Guitar Method Primer Ensemble Book 2 will get you organized so you can develop the skills that you find in a world class musician.

Scale Application

Primer Ensemble Book Two applies 10 different scales in multiple ways:

Etudes which concentrate on one scale.

Single string studies to isolate each scale to one string.

Chord vamps to apply the scale via improvisation.

Each chapter concentrates on one scale and covers the following:

Major

Dorian

Phrygian

Lydian

Mixolydian

Aeolian

Locrian

Major Pentatonic

Minor Pentatonic

Blues

So is this book the right book for you?

Ask yourself these questions:

Does my ability to play chord progressions need improvement?

Is my fretboard knowledge spotty?

Is my ability to read chord charts hit-or-miss?

Does my understanding of theory need work?

Does my sight reading skill need improvement?

Is my rhythm playing in the groove?

Do I have a hard time staying within the form when I play music?

Is my scale mastery weak or incomplete?

If the answer is YES then "New York Guitar Method Primer Ensemble Book 2" will get you on track to solving your problems. Filling in these gaps in your playing will make you a much better musician and give you the confidence to tackle any type of music.

Here are a couple of examples of MP3s that can be played or downloaded to help you learn each chord progression

Bringing together many Muse Eek Books to make a unified push to raise your musicianship

Much of New York Guitar Method is compiled from other Muse Eek publications; several books have been excerpted to form this series. In the case of NYGM Primer Ensemble Book Two, additional content has been taken from:

Rhythm Primer

Single Sting Studies for Guitar Volume One

LINES

The New York Guitar Method is an unmatched series of books!

By combining both theoretical and practical applications,covers all the things you need to become a world class guitarist. Get a consistent education by working through the entire New York Guitar Method Series.

Additional Information:

Digital Edition 978-1-59489-862-4

Physical IBSN: 978-1-59489-915-7

129 pages and many additional free files and videos in our member's area

What people are saying:

I'm an intermediate player and have taken a few music theory courses in high school. I got both the Primer 2 and Ensemble Primer 2 at the same time, and skipped the Primer One book. There is a lot of really important stuff to be gained from working through this book, but for a while I was fighting what felt like "homework". It finally dawned on me after an email I received from Bruce where he told me "It doesn't matter how much you know it's how much of what you know that you can actually play." So now I understand why Bruce had me writing out every fricking chord using staff and fretboard notation. It's like, I could say I know how to build a chord but could I instantly tell you what notes are in a Gb Major 7#5 chord. Nope! I can play a Ab Phrygian scale if I sit down and think about it but can I on the fly start improvising with that scale at a rehearsal? Don't think so! So that was my eureka moment. The point is, if you work with these books all this stuff becomes second nature. I can't believe it took me so long to get it, but I'm glad I did at last. What a difference in my playing. P. Kantor

I recently graduated to the NYGM V1. Took me 8 months of one hour a day practice to get there but, I can feel and hear the improvement in my playing and my understanding of music. Now I can play the pop songs I love, and even get into creative strumming! I can improvise SO MUCH BETTER over most of these songs, and I'm getting a lot better at reading music. but the best thing is that I understand where music theory is coming from, and I used to be scared of it. I'm still having issues with my ear training and my rhythm takes a dive every once in a while but from working with NYGM, I know how my own work will pay off in the long run. I also have to say the multiple emails exchanges with Mr. Arnold helped me immensely, I was really surprised that I could communicate with him, but he is a real straight shooter. I totally recommend these books if you are the kind of person who needs a structured approach to learning the guitar. D. Timmons

I'm a music lover with some very troubling rhythm problems. I had read great reviews so I got NYGM Primer One and immediate felt lost. I contacted Mr. Arnold and he made some really crazy recommendations for me to tackle my rhythm issues. First he said don't even bother opening the book we have to work on some real basics. First thing he asked me was whether I walked before I crawled. I contacted my mother and sure enough I was walking very early. Bruce explained that for lots of people the coordination that is formed from crawling builds a rhythmic ability that you don't get from walking. Basically it takes more coordination and rhythm to crawl because you are using all four limbs. So believe it or not the first thing he had me do was crawl on the floor for a few minutes a day. I got the hang of it pretty fast (but my girlfriend was starting to wonder about me and this Arnold character!) Then he had me doing a bunch of tapping with my hand while walking for about two weeks. After all that, I started working from the book. He had me start immediately on the chord progressions in NYGM Primer One and sure enough my strumming rhythm was much better than it had ever been. This is why you need to study with this guy he isn't one dimensional and he has decades of experience. Thanks Bruce for taking the time to help me through my problem!! I've now moved on to the Primer two books and going strong. Get on board with Bruce you won't be sorry. H. Walker.

I contacted Bruce after I got these books to help me organize a practice schedule. This really helped me focus in on my specific issues. He also had me get some of his ear training books. (Ear Training One Note Complete and Contextual Ear Training.) The ET has been kicking my ass but as Bruce explained to me, I needed to improve my ear along with my mental knowledge of music. I feel like Bruce's approach is very holistic and I'm already starting to see how much more in touch I am with music. W. Wilson.

Whether you are a total beginner or an advanced guitarist there is a book in this series that is perfect for you. GET STARTED TODAY!

What is guitar technique?

Many people think it just means you can play fast and all you need to do is practice like crazy.

But which one of these statements do you think is true?

Great technique has nothing to do with how you hold an instrument it's really just about how much you practice.

Just learn to play physically like your favorite guitarist and you will be as good as him/her over time.

Having some pain when you are developing your technique is natural. No pain no gain.

If you don't have good technique it's just because you didn't practice enough.

Playing the guitar is hard physical work.

If you have the right guitar you'll be able to play faster.

Some people just have faster fingers than others.

NONE OF THE ABOVE are true! Bad technique will ruin your ability no matter how talented you are or how much you practice.

Does any of this sound familiar?

I can only practice for "X" amount of time before my hand is exhausted.

There are some things I'll never be able to play they are just too fast or too difficult.

The longer I practice the worse I play.

When I play a gig I'm great for the first set but then I get progressively worse as the night goes on.

My fingers have a big gap between them from playing the guitar and overstretching the tendons.

Every once in a while I have to quit playing because I injure myself somehow when I play or perform.

I guess I'm just not cut out to play the guitar it's just to hard to get my fingers to work correctly.

I'm very sloppy when I play but I guess that is just my style.

If any of this sound familiar you are most likely playing with poor technique. It is the most common reason why guitarists don't reach their full potential or quit because they think they are not talented enough to reach the level they want.

How to turn your technique around and become a great guitarist.

Realize that you are most likely way out of touch with your physical movements and this lack of connection is impacting your guitar playing skills.

Realize that how you physically hold the instrument will greatly affect how well you can play the guitar.

Realize that ergonomic movement is the key to speed and accuracy.

Realize that all bodies are built differently, so you may have to play differently than someone else to reach your full potential.

Realize that when playing guitar it requires different techniques for different types of chords and melodies.

Realize the longer you play with bad technique the longer it will take to switch over to good technique.

Realize you should never experience pain when you are playing. If you do you are playing incorrectly.

Realize there is a path to good technique if you are willing to put in the time.

Follow the techniques presented in Guitar Technique: A Beginners Guide to Speed, Accuracy and Fluid Performance and it will change your playing drastically.

Over and over students report that they have turned their guitar playing around by following the techniques presented in this book. Beginning students find they improve at much faster speeds, guitarists with repetitive stress injuries find they can play again and people that have always had a "slow hand" can now play much faster.

Guitar Technique: A Beginners Guide to Speed, Accuracy and Fluid Performance covers the entire act of playing the guitar.

All aspects of the physical act of playing the guitar are covered, from how to hold a guitar, to the specific way each hand is involved in the playing process. Pictures are provided within the book to help clarify each technique. More valuable explanatory pictures and videos can be downloaded in the muse-eek.com member's area.

Additional Information:

Digital Edition 978-1-890944-91-9

Physical Edition not available

8 pages

Please note: This book can also be found in 1st Steps for a Beginning Guitarist.

What people are saying:

I own the Guitar Technique book and Mr. Arnold's Guitar Physiology DVD from truefire. Between both of these I really got myself out of a bad place. So many destructive things I didn't realize about my playing were exposed with the book and the DVD. For me, Guitar Technique: A Beginners Guide to Speed, Accuracy and Fluid Performance had crucial information. If you are being held back by poor technique, don't pass it by. H. Manson

I was highly sceptical about this book. I always stretched my fretboard fingers out and played from my wrist (like so many famous guitarists) for about 10 years. OK, then I started experiencing pain which ended up being a light case of tendonitis. Doctors and physical therapist helped me with the pain but were clueless when it came to telling me how to play the guitar to keep it away. Thank GOD I found this book; it saved my playing career. Y. Frankel

I contacted Bruce via email because I had to quit playing for a couple of years because of repetitive stress injury. Bruce recommended Guitar Technique: A Beginners Guide to Speed, Accuracy and Fluid Performance book and the Guitar Physiology DVD. Bruce also had me upload a video of myself playing to youtube so he could check out my playing. He made great recommendations and I'm back playing stronger than every. Thanks Bruce! I really appreciate you taking the time to help me. P. Harrison

I found Guitar Physiology videos samples on youtube.com which lead me to Bruce's DVD with truefire and finally Guitar Technique: A Beginners Guide to Speed, Accuracy and Fluid Performance. I'm an advanced beginner and have been for the last 5 years. I just couldn't seem to get my playing any faster. Well guess what it was, my technique was holding me back. I've improved more in the last year of working with Bruce's book and DVD than I did in the entire previous 5 years. Do yourself a favor get this book and the Guitar Physiology DVD you'll be a happier guitarist for it. M. Nuñez.

Become the guitarist of your dreams. Start with good technique and the sky is the limit.

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The One Minute Lesson Series

These "One Minute Lessons" cover many of the topics I discuss with my private students. These conversations sometimes arise because a student asks me about a certain subject but more often it's because I hear a weakness in their playing or musical perception. The "One Minute Lesson" is not meant to be an exhaustive study; of any particular subject rather it is an insight into one subject that is sometimes small, sometimes big but always important. At the outset you should realize that some of these "One Minute Lessons" have much more content than others depending on the subject. This variance in the amount of material supplied in a "One Minute Lesson" is usually caused by the subject presented. Sometimes additional PDFs with specific exercises and MP3s and Midifiles will be supplied to help a student master a particular subject but other times it might just be a lesson where I'm nudging a student to keep something important in mind or refine their understanding of something they might know but not completely understand. In general I think these "One Minute Lessons" should be watched every few years as you work on your musical skills because different subjects will become important to your development at different times.

Again, just to clarify The "One Minute Lesson"will always contain a video that is approximately one minute in length. Each "One Minute Lesson" will also always contain a PDF. Sometimes additional PDFs, MP3s and Midifiles will also be given if there are exercises that relate to the subject at hand.

There will be "One Minute Lesson" videos on many subjects.

Each "One Minute Lesson" topic will be available as an individual download or as a bundle. The Bundle is the most economical way to purchase these "One Minute Lessons." You can choose a quick link below to read about each "One Minute Lesson."

Here is a breakdown of this "One Minute Lessons for Technique": Click on a title to go directly to the course.

One Minute Lesson: "Technique" Bundle

One Minute Lesson: "Technique" Bundle

The One Minute Lesson "Technique" Bundle contains nine one minute lessons that lay out all the common techniques that a professional musician uses to master their instrument. Each lesson gives you a PDF with various studies taken from forthcoming compendiums of technical exercises. These "One Minute Lessons" are a great way to get an overview of what techniques are involved to gain mastery of your instrument along with a concise way to organize both the exercises and recommendations and your practice sessions. The "One Minute Lesson Technique" videos discuss the general ideas behind playing correctly and other important subjects that many students don't realize are intrinsically connected to good technique. If you would like to learn about the specifics of each video or wish to only purchase a single download please click on the individual titles.

Achieving superior technique on your instrument requires many kinds of exercises, and it takes years to master the exercises presented in these videos and accompanying PDFs. Think of this series of the "One Minute Lesson" as a general guide to WHAT you need to work on to gain the kind of technical mastery you desire.

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Individual Downloads

One Minute Lesson: Technique #1: Pressing too Hard

This One Minute Lesson talks about some of the different issues that keep a player from reaching his or her full technical potential. One of the accompanying PDFs presents an exercise to help to develop a "lightness" in one's touch. This PDF also gives an overview of the organization of scales along with the suggested scales that a musician needs to know to function in modern music. Recommendations are also given on how to practice scales to maximize your practice time while simultaneously developing aural skills. Modal Sequencing is explained in depth. An additional 24 page PDF is included from the forthcoming book "Two Note Modal Sequencing" showing one possible exercise that a student could use to explore more melodic ideas. This PDF is also an excellent sight reading workout.

ISBN 978-1-59489-639-2

Video plus one six page PDF and one 24 page PDF

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One Minute Lesson: Technique #2: Ergonomic Movement

This lesson discusses the importance of the proper physical relationship to an instrument and how it can affect the ability to develop stellar technical skills. A three page PDF is also included which discusses common playing problems that inhibit these skills. There is also a demonstration of the power of three note modal sequencing which breaks a seven note scale down to its eighteen possible three note melodic patterns. Practice recommendations are given on how to apply these ideas as well as which scales should be included in practicing with these concepts. Another twelve page PDF is included which is an excerpt from the forthcoming "Three Note Sequencing" which shows some suggested practice patterns in all keys.

ISBN 978-1-59489-640-8

Video and 1 three page PDF as well as a 12 page PDF showing a technical exercise.

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One Minute Lesson: Technique #3: Long Line Rhythm

The video discusses "Long Line Rhythm" a concept which will greatly increase your speed as well as you ability to feel, and not count, time. A five page PDF gives a detailed explanation of "Long Line Rhythm" and how to apply it to various musical situations. Both the "MetroDrone" and the course "The Big Metronome" are discussed and recommendations given on how to incorporate these books/tools into "Long Line Rhythm" practice. Four note modal sequencing is discussed in-depth as well as a revolutionary way of reducing the possible four note melodic patterns of a seven note scale down to twenty melodic combinations. These twenty 4 note melodic patterns are then combined with another twenty page PDF that shows the 96 permutations of these twenty 4 note melodic patterns which gives you a highly organized way of seeing all four note melodic patterns for a seven note scale. Many of these ideas are excerpts from the forthcoming "Four Note Sequencing" course.

ISBN 978-1-59489-641-5

Video and 5 page PDF as well as a 20 Page PDF

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One Minute Lesson: Technique #4: Big Muscles Move Small Muscles

The video explains how any instrumentalist should physically relate to their instrument. The accompanying three page PDF discusses problems encountered by not playing with the proper technique as well as suggestions on how play correctly and ideas to counteract many of the physical stresses a musician encounters. The four note diatonic chords of a key center and the importance of mastering this information is presented as well as suggested ways to practice this information. Four additional eighty two page PDFs are included which are excerpts from the "Four Note Diatonic Chords" course. These exercises show a student the four inversions of a chord and some suggested ways that these structures can be played through a scale. This is an excellent presentation of how a student can organize this important technique commonly used by great musicians to master an understanding of key centers and arpeggios.

ISBN 978-1-59489-642-2

Video and one 3 page PDF as well as four 82 page PDFs

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One Minute Lesson: Technique #5: How to Practice

This video discusses how to get the most out of your practice session by organizing your time effectively and in a way that will promote physical well being. A five page PDF is included which has an important discussion of the mental stresses that can accompany learning an instrument, as well as ways to deal with these problems. There is also a detailed discussion of "Approach Notes" and how this concept of playing can be organized as well as ways it is commonly used in music. Three 6 page PDFs are also included that show how to practice approach notes with scales. These exercises are an excellent way to quickly expand your musical palette.

ISBN 978-1-59489-643-9

Video and one 5 page PDF as well as three 6 page PDFs

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One Minute Lesson: Technique #6: Warm-Ups

This Video discusses the importance of using warm-up exercises before playing, with suggestions on useful exercises. The nine videos presented in this series really give you on overview of most of the common melodic patterns used in music and therefore are an excellent source for developing your own personal warm ups based on these ideas. A two page PDF is included which discusses all kinds of warm-ups and how to pick the best approach to your warm-up session. A discussion of using approach notes to chord tones is also presented as well as three additional two page BeBop duet études that demonstrate the use of approach notes into chord tones.

ISBN 978-1-59489-644-6

Video and two PDFs

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One Minute Lesson: Technique #7: Hearing What You Are Playing

This video discusses the close connection between aural and rhythmic skills. There is a four page PDF which breaks down the various categories of learning necessary to develop good aural and rhythmic skills. A discussion of how to "hear" music as well as suggested courses of study are included. Rhythmic training is broken down into the basic components of reading rhythms, playing rhythms, recognizing and playing various meters, superimpositions, odd rhythmic groupings and a general rhythmic feel which is appropriate for the style you are playing. An explanation of “feeling” time and not “count” time is given as well as a suggested way to develop this skill set. The overview presented in this PDF is crucial to your understanding of these two aspects of great musicianship. A list of chord tones and available tensions for every chord is included as well as an explanation of "sweeps" and how this kind of structure can create a very interesting and modern sounding melody. An additional 22 page PDF provides examples of these "sweeps" which will definitely expand your sonic pallet.

ISBN 978-1-59489-645-3

Video and one 4 page PDF as well as a 20 page PDF

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One Minute Lesson: Technique #8: Style

This Video discusses the importance of style when developing technical skills. The accompanying two page PDF continues this discussion pointing out why stylistic considerations are so important. This PDF explains how each style has its own characteristic melodies and rhythms and these will shape the types of technical exercises you practice. An additional PDF is included to explain the concept of "swing" a commonly misunderstood term that is found in many styles of Jazz and Blues. The ideas presented in the "One Minute Lessons on Technique" are not based inn any one style, so that you can apply the exercises to the style that makes sense, based on its intrinsic melodic and rhythmic content. This "One Minute Lesson" PDF also goes into detail about how these choices should be made and gives examples of common style considerations. It also gives a brief description of "Pitch Class Set Theory" and information on how to apply Hexatonic (6 note) based sweeps patterns to various chord types. Another 15 page PDF containing 720 hexatonic sweeps is also included for technical study as well as a one chorus solo applying these sweeps to the jazz standard "Giant Steps."

ISBN 978-1-59489-646-0

Video plus 2 Page PDF, 15 Page PDF, Swing Feel PDF, Giant Steps PDF

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One Minute Lesson: Technique #9: Articulation

This video discusses the importance of specific and appropriate articulation and embellishment of any musical phrase to make it sound like a given style. The included PDF gives ways to apply technical exercises to make them more musical. Ways to apply technical exercises in a musical way was also covered in two "One Minute Lessons on Phrasing." These PDFs have been included to help a student see some possible ways to help to make repeating patterns sound more interesting. There is also a discussion of the importance of playing various techniques in cycles. A 24 page excerpt from the "Hearing Chord Progressions" course which shows various ways to play a Major 7th chord cycle 5 is included.

ISBN 978-1-59489-647-7

Video plus PDFs with additional 24 page PDF and Two PDFs from One Minute Lesson Phrasing.

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Reviews

What people are saying:

These one minute lessons are an addiction! You check one out and say "yeah!" and then you have to check out the next one, and maybe even download one of the recommended books. Very clever Mr. Arnold, you are making me a one minute lesson junkie! A. Iyer

It's amazing how such a short lesson can have so much in it. It feels a little like I've needed to know this stuff for years, and i'm amazed that no one ever told me. Thanks for filling in the blanks; it's already changing my playingN. Stricoff

An amazing amount of information. An encyclopedia on technical exercises with common sense recommendations to help you make everything sound musical. H. Gordon

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